Methods of forming a nanowire transistor device

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor device is provided including a semiconductor substrate and a nanowire formed over the semiconductor substrate and wherein the nanowire includes a first layer exhibiting tensile stress and a second layer exhibiting compressive stress.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Generally, the present disclosure relates to the field of themanufacture of integrated circuits and semiconductor devices, and, moreparticularly, to FETs comprising nanowire gate structures.

2. Description of the Related Art

The fabrication of advanced integrated circuits, such as CPUs, storagedevices, ASICs (application specific integrated circuits) and the like,requires the formation of a large number of circuit elements on a givenchip area according to a specified circuit layout. In a wide variety ofelectronic circuits, field effect transistors represent one importanttype of circuit element that substantially determines performance of theintegrated circuits. Generally, a plurality of process technologies arecurrently practiced for forming field effect transistors, wherein, formany types of complex circuitry, MOS technology is currently one of themost promising approaches due to the superior characteristics in view ofoperating speed and/or power consumption and/or cost efficiency. Duringthe fabrication of complex integrated circuits using, for instance, MOStechnology, millions of transistors, e.g., N-channel transistors and/orP-channel transistors, are formed on a substrate including a crystallinesemiconductor layer.

A field effect transistor, irrespective of whether an N-channeltransistor or a P-channel transistor is considered, comprises so-calledPN junctions that are formed by an interface of highly doped drain andsource regions with an inversely or weakly doped channel region disposedbetween the drain region and the source region. The conductivity of thechannel region, i.e., the drive current capability of the conductivechannel, is controlled by a gate electrode formed above the channelregion and separated therefrom by a thin insulating layer. Theconductivity of the channel region, upon formation of a conductivechannel due to the application of an appropriate control voltage to thegate electrode, depends on, among other things, the concentration of thedopants, the mobility of the majority charge carriers and, for a givenextension of the channel region in the transistor width direction, onthe distance between the source and drain regions, which is alsoreferred to as channel length. Hence, in combination with the capabilityof rapidly creating a conductive channel below the insulating layer uponapplication of the control voltage to the gate electrode, theconductivity of the channel region substantially determines theperformance of the MOS transistors. Thus, the reduction of the channellength, and associated therewith the reduction of the channelresistivity, renders the channel length a dominant design criteria foraccomplishing an increase in the operating speed of the integratedcircuits.

The shrinkage of the transistor dimensions, however, involves aplurality of issues associated therewith that have to be addressed so asto not unduly offset the advantages obtained by steadily decreasing thechannel length of MOS transistors. One issue associated with reducedgate lengths is the occurrence of so-called short channel effects, whichmay result in a reduced controllability of the channel conductivity.Short channel effects may be countered by certain design techniques,some of which, however, may be accompanied by a reduction of the channelconductivity, thereby partially offsetting the advantages obtained bythe reduction of critical dimensions.

In view of this situation, it has been proposed to enhance deviceperformance of the transistor elements not only by reducing thetransistor dimensions but also by increasing the charge carrier mobilityin the channel region for a given channel length, thereby increasing thedrive current capability and thus transistor performance. For example,the lattice structure in the channel region may be modified, forinstance, by creating tensile or compressive strain therein, whichresults in a modified mobility for electrons and holes, respectively.For example, creating tensile strain in the channel region of a siliconlayer having a standard crystallographic configuration may increase themobility of electrons, which, in turn, may directly translate into acorresponding increase of the conductivity of N-type transistors. On theother hand, compressive strain in the channel region may increase themobility of holes, thereby providing the potential for enhancing theperformance of P-type transistors.

According to an alternative approach and in contrast to a FET (fieldeffect transistor), which has a planar structure, a so-called FinFETdevice has been introduced that has a three-dimensional structure. Morespecifically, in a FinFET, a generally vertically positioned fin-shapedactive area is formed and a gate electrode encloses both sides and anupper surface of the fin-shaped active area to form a tri-gate structureso as to use a channel having a three-dimensional structure instead of aplanar structure. In some cases, an insulating cap layer, e.g., siliconnitride, is positioned at the top of the fin and the FinFET device onlyhas a dual-gate structure. Thus, an electric voltage applied to the gateelectrode of a FinFET or tri-gate transistor, respectively, is providedon two or three sides of the channel region, respectively, which mayimprove the controllability of the channel region. In a FinFET, thejunction capacitance at the drain region of the device is greatlyreduced, which tends to reduce at least some short channel effects.However, similar to planar transistors, in FinFET and tri-gatetransistors, the source, channel and drain regions are arranged along ahorizontal direction of the substrate, requiring a relatively largeamount of space for providing electrical contacts to the source anddrain regions and for the gate length.

Device manufacturers are under constant pressure to produce integratedcircuit products with increased performance and lower production costsrelative to previous device generations. Thus, device designers spend agreat amount of time and effort to maximize device performance, whileseeking ways to reduce manufacturing costs and improve manufacturingreliability. As it relates to 3D devices, device designers have spentmany years and employed a variety of techniques in an effort to improvethe performance capability and reliability of such devices.

In view of the situation described, the present disclosure providesmethods of manufacturing semiconductor devices and semiconductor devicesthat allow overcoming or at least reducing the problems mentioned above.

In particular, the present disclosure provides methods that may beemployed for forming field effect transistors wherein the source,channel and drain regions are arranged along a vertical direction of asubstrate on which the transistors are formed. This may allow areduction of the extension of the field effect transistors in horizontaldirections of the substrate, without requiring a scaling of the gatelength of the transistors. Furthermore, methods are provided that mayallow the formation of field effect transistors having an improvedcontrollability of the channel characteristics as well as an improvedcarrier transport in the channel region and thereby an improved overallperformance as compared to the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order toprovide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. Thissummary is not an exhaustive overview of the invention. It is notintended to identify key or critical elements of the invention or todelineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to presentsome concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detaileddescription that is discussed later.

An illustrative semiconductor device provided herein includes asemiconductor substrate and a nanowire of a semiconductor materialformed over the semiconductor substrate, wherein the nanowire comprisesa first layer exhibiting tensile stress and a second layer exhibitingcompressive stress. In particular, the semiconductor may comprise a FETcomprising the nanowire. The nanowire may substantially verticallyextend from the semiconductor substrate.

Moreover, a method of forming a semiconductor device is provided thatincludes providing a semiconductor substrate, forming a nanowire of asemiconductor material over the semiconductor substrate, removing partof the semiconductor material of the nanowire and, after removing thepart of the semiconductor material, coating the remaining nanowire witha material exhibiting compressive or tensile stress. The semiconductordevice may comprise a FET and the nanowire may comprise a channel of theFET.

The semiconductor substrate may be an SOI substrate comprising a firstsemiconductor layer formed on an oxide layer and the step of forming thenanowire may comprise the steps of: (a) forming a second dopedsemiconductor layer on the first semiconductor layer; (b) forming athird semiconductor layer on the second doped semiconductor layer,wherein the third doped semiconductor layer is undoped or inverselydoped with respect to the second doped semiconductor layer; (c) forminga structure comprising (i) forming a dummy element of a first materialon the third semiconductor layer and (ii) forming a plurality of spacerelements on both sides of the dummy element, wherein the plurality ofspacer elements comprises spacer elements of the first material andspacer elements of a second material different from the first materialin an alternating manner; (d) planarizing the formed structure, therebyobtaining a planarized dummy element and planarized spacer elements ofthe first and second material; (e) removing the planarized spacerelements of the second material; and (f) etching the portions of thethird semiconductor layer exposed by the removed planarized spacerelements of the second material and part of the second dopedsemiconductor layer using the planarized dummy element and planarizedspacer elements of the first material as an etch mask.

Alternatively, the semiconductor substrate may comprise a first dopedsemiconductor layer and forming the nanowire may comprise: (a) forming asecond doped semiconductor layer on the first doped semiconductor layer,wherein the second doped semiconductor layer is inversely doped withrespect to the first doped semiconductor layer; (b) forming a thirddoped semiconductor layer on the second doped semiconductor layer,wherein the third doped semiconductor layer is inversely doped withrespect to the second doped semiconductor layer; (c) forming a structurecomprising (i) forming a dummy element on the third doped semiconductorlayer and (ii) forming a plurality of spacer elements on both sides ofthe dummy element, wherein the plurality of spacer elements comprisesspacer elements of the first material and spacer elements of a secondmaterial different from the first material in an alternating manner; (d)planarizing the formed structure, thereby obtaining a planarized dummyelement and planarized spacer elements of the first and second material;(e) removing the planarized spacer elements of the second material; and(f) etching the portions of the third doped semiconductor layer exposedby the removed planarized spacer elements of the second material andpart of the second doped semiconductor layer using the planarized dummyelement and planarized spacer elements of the first material as an etchmask.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure may be understood by reference to the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a semiconductorstructure in a stage of a method according to an example of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a semiconductorstructure in a stage of a method according to an example of the presentdisclosure;

FIGS. 3a and 3b show schematic views of a semiconductor structure in astage of a method according to an example of the present disclosure,wherein FIG. 3a shows a schematic top view and FIG. 3b shows a schematiccross-sectional view;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a semiconductorstructure in a stage of a method according to an example of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a semiconductorstructure in a stage of a method according to an example of the presentdisclosure;

FIGS. 6a and 6b show schematic views of a semiconductor structure in astage of a method according to an example of the present disclosure,wherein FIG. 6a shows a schematic top view and FIG. 6b shows a schematiccross-sectional view;

FIGS. 6c and 6d show a schematic cross-sectional view of a semiconductorstructure in a stage of a method according to an example of the presentdisclosure after etching parts of the nanowires and coating the etchednanowires, respectively;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a semiconductorstructure in a stage of a method according to an example of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 8 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a semiconductorstructure in a stage of a method according to an example of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 9 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a semiconductorstructure in a stage of a method according to an example of the presentdisclosure; and

FIGS. 10a-10g show schematic views of a semiconductor structure in astage of a method according to an alternative example of the presentdisclosure.

While the subject matter disclosed herein is susceptible to variousmodifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof havebeen shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described indetail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein ofspecific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to theparticular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is tocover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling withinthe spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below.In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementationare described in this specification. It will of course be appreciatedthat in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerousimplementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve thedevelopers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related andbusiness-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation toanother. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effortmight be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routineundertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit ofthis disclosure.

The following embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enablethose skilled in the art to make use of the invention. It is to beunderstood that other embodiments would be evident, based on the presentdisclosure, and that system, structure, process or mechanical changesmay be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.In the following description, numeral-specific details are given toprovide a thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, it would beapparent that the embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced withoutthe specific details. In order to avoid obscuring the presentdisclosure, some well-known circuits, system configurations, structureconfigurations and process steps are not disclosed in detail.

The present disclosure will now be described with reference to theattached figures. Various structures, systems and devices areschematically depicted in the drawings for purposes of explanation onlyand so as to not obscure the present disclosure with details which arewell known to those skilled in the art. Nevertheless, the attacheddrawings are included to describe and explain illustrative examples ofthe present disclosure. The words and phrases used herein should beunderstood and interpreted to have a meaning consistent with theunderstanding of those words and phrases by those skilled in therelevant art. No special definition of a term or phrase, i.e., adefinition that is different from the ordinary or customary meaning asunderstood by those skilled in the art, is intended to be implied byconsistent usage of the term or phrase herein. To the extent that a termor phrase is intended to have a special meaning, i.e., a meaning otherthan that understood by skilled artisans, such a special definitionshall be expressively set forth in the specification in a definitionalmanner that directly and unequivocally provides the special definitionfor the term or phrase.

As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a completereading of the present application, the present methods are applicableto a variety of technologies, e.g., NMOS, PMOS, CMOS, etc., and isreadily applicable to a variety of devices, including, but not limitedto, logic devices, memory devices, etc.

The present disclosure particularly provides a semiconductor devicecomprising a nanowire FET and a method for the manufacture of the same.The nanowire comprises a core and a shell of strained material. Thiscore-shell structure results in improved performance of the FET ascompared to nanowire transistors of the art. It is noted that thechannel current of the inventive FET may be mainly carried in the shellof the nanowire. The shell-core structure may be used for both N-channeland P-channel FETs.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a semiconductorstructure 100 in a stage of a method according to an embodiment. Thesemiconductor structure 100 includes a substrate 101 that may be formedof a semiconductor material, for example, silicon. The substrate 101 hasa thickness direction 130 (vertical in the plane of drawing of FIG. 1)or vertical direction, respectively. An extension of the substrate 101in the vertical direction 130 may be smaller than extensions of thesubstrate 101 in a first horizontal direction 128 and a secondhorizontal direction 129 which are perpendicular to each other and tothe vertical direction 130 of the substrate 101.

In the figures, directions that are perpendicular to the plane ofdrawing are shown as arrows, a direction pointing towards the viewer isshown as a circle with a dot, and a direction pointing away from theviewer is shown as a circle with an “x”.

The substrate 101 may have a top surface and a bottom surface that aresubstantially perpendicular to the vertical direction 130 of thesubstrate 101. The substrate 101 may have the shape of a disc or aplate.

The semiconductor structure 100 further includes a semiconductor layer103 and a dielectric layer 102. The dielectric layer 102 is providedbetween the semiconductor layer 103 and the substrate 101. Thedielectric layer 102 separates the semiconductor layer 103 from thesubstrate 101, and provides electrical insulation between thesemiconductor layer 103 and the substrate 101. The dielectric layer 102may include a dielectric material such as silicon dioxide, siliconoxynitride and/or silicon nitride, and the semiconductor layer 103 mayinclude a semiconductor material, such as silicon, silicon germanium,silicon carbide and/or a III-V semiconductor such as gallium arsenide.The semiconductor layer 103 may be substantially undoped. The substrate101, the dielectric layer 102 and the semiconductor layer 103 form asemiconductor-on-insulator structure.

The semiconductor structure 100 further includes a trench isolationstructure 104. The trench isolation structure 104 may be a shallowtrench isolation structure. The trench isolation structure 104 mayenclose the portion of the semiconductor layer 103 shown in FIG. 1 andmay provide electrical insulation between the enclosed portion of thesemiconductor layer 103 and other portions of the semiconductor layer103 that are not shown in FIG. 1.

The formation of the semiconductor structure 100 may include applyingtechniques for forming a semiconductor-on-insulator structure that mayinclude providing a first semiconductor wafer and a second semiconductorwafer. The first semiconductor wafer includes the semiconductor materialof the substrate 101 and the second semiconductor wafer includes thesemiconductor material of the semiconductor layer 103. One of thewafers, or both wafers, may have a layer of the dielectric material ofthe dielectric layer 102 formed thereon. The wafers may be bonded toeach other, wherein the dielectric layer 102 is located between thewafers. Then, the second wafer including the semiconductor material ofthe semiconductor layer 103 may be cleaved. Thereafter, a polishingprocess, for example chemical mechanical polishing, may be performed toprovide a substantially smooth surface of the semiconductor layer 103.

After the formation of the semiconductor-on-insulator structure, thetrench isolation structure 104 may be formed by means of processes forforming a shallow trench isolation, including photolithography, etching,oxidation and/or deposition.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the semiconductor layer 103 mayhave a thickness in a range from about 10 nm, corresponding to athickness of a semiconductor layer in an ultra-thin bodysemiconductor-on-insulator wafer (UTB-SOI-wafer), to about 100 nm,corresponding to a thickness of a semiconductor layer in a normalsemiconductor-on-insulator wafer.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the semiconductorstructure 100 in a later stage of the manufacturing process. A thicknessof the semiconductor layer 103, being an extension of the semiconductorlayer 103 in the vertical direction 130, may be reduced. After thereduction of the thickness of the semiconductor layer 103, thesemiconductor layer 103 may have a thickness in a range from about 5-10nm.

The reduction of the thickness of the semiconductor layer 103 mayinclude an etch process adapted to selectively remove the semiconductormaterial of the semiconductor layer 103 relative to the material of thetrench isolation structure 104. In the selective etching of a firstmaterial relative to a second material, both materials are exposed to anetchant adapted to remove the first material at a greater etch rate thanthe second material. The etch rate of a material specifies a thicknessof a portion of a layer of the material that is removed per time unitwhen the material is exposed to the etchant, wherein the thickness ismeasured in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the material.

The etch process used for reducing the thickness of the semiconductorlayer 103 may be a dry etch process, for example, a reactive ion etch(RIE) process adapted to selectively remove the material of thesemiconductor layer 103 relative to the material of the trench isolationstructure 104. For example, in embodiments wherein the semiconductorlayer 103 includes silicon and the trench isolation structure 104includes silicon dioxide, the etch process may be a reactive ion etchprocess wherein an etch gas including CF₄ is used. The thickness of thesemiconductor layer 103 need not be reduced by means of an etch process.Alternatively or additionally, a chemical mechanical polishing processmay be used. In chemical mechanical polishing, the semiconductorstructure 100 is moved relative to a polishing pad, and a slurry issupplied to an interface between the semiconductor structure 100 and thepolishing pad. Materials on the surface of the semiconductor structure100, in particular the material of the semiconductor layer 103, areremoved by chemical reactions between the material of the semiconductorlayer 103 and chemical compounds in the slurry and/or by mechanicalinteractions between the material of the semiconductor layer 103 and thepolishing pad. In the chemical mechanical polishing process, a part ofthe trench isolation structure 104 may also be removed, so that thethickness of the trench isolation structure is reduced.

After the reduction of the thickness of the semiconductor layer 103, anepitaxial growth process may be performed for epitaxially depositing asemiconductor layer 105 on the semiconductor layer 103. Due to theepitaxial deposition of the semiconductor layer 105, the semiconductormaterial of the semiconductor layer 105 can adapt to the crystallinestructure of the semiconductor material of the semiconductor layer 103.Thus, a substantially single-crystalline structure of the semiconductorlayer 105 may be obtained.

The epitaxial growth process may be adapted for selectively depositingsemiconductor material on the semiconductor layer 103, whereinsubstantially no semiconductor material is deposited on exposed surfaceportions of the trench isolation structure 104 and/or only a smallamount of semiconductor material is deposited on exposed surfaceportions of the trench isolation structure 104.

In some embodiments, portions of the semiconductor structure 100 onwhich no semiconductor material is to be deposited (not shown in FIG. 1)may be covered by a mask, for example, a hardmask including siliconnitride or silicon dioxide, while the semiconductor layer 105 isdeposited. Due to the selectivity of the epitaxial growth process,substantially no semiconductor material or only a small amount ofsemiconductor material is deposited on the mask. Moreover, the portionof the semiconductor structure 100 shown in FIG. 2 may be covered by amask while a selective epitaxial growth process for depositingsemiconductor material in other portions of the semiconductor structureis performed.

Thus, different semiconductor materials and/or differently dopedsemiconductor material may be provided in different portions of thesemiconductor structure 100. Differently doped semiconductor materialsmay be used for forming N-channel transistors and P-channel transistorsin portions of the semiconductor structure 100.

The selective epitaxial growth process may be a chemical vapordeposition process or a plasma enhanced chemical vapor depositionprocess wherein parameters of the deposition process, such ascomposition and pressure of a reactant gas, temperature and/or a powerof an electric discharge created in the reactant gas, are adapted suchthat a selective deposition of semiconductor material on thesemiconductor layer 103 is obtained.

For example, in embodiments wherein the semiconductor layers 103, 105include silicon, the selective epitaxial growth process used for formingthe semiconductor layer 105 on the semiconductor layer 103 may be achemical vapor deposition process or plasma enhanced chemical vapordeposition process wherein an etch gas including a chemical compoundincluding silicon and chlorine, for example SiCl₄, SiHCl₃ and/orSiH₂Cl₂, is used. Alternatively, the etch gas may include a mixture of achemical compound including silicon, for example SiH₄, and a substanceincluding chloride, for example HCl and/or Cl₂.

The chlorine may react chemically with silicon atoms on the surface ofthe trench isolation structure 104 and/or the mask, wherein gaseousreaction products that are not bound to the surface are formed so thatthe silicon atoms are removed. Silicon atoms deposited on the surface ofthe semiconductor layer 103 and/or on silicon already deposited on thesemiconductor layer 103 react with chlorine to a lower extent, so thatgrowth of silicon is obtained on the surface of the semiconductor layer103.

The selective epitaxial growth process need not be a chemical vapordeposition process or plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process.Alternatively, molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) or metal organic chemicalvapor deposition (MOCVD) may be used.

The semiconductor layer 105 may include portions 106, 107, wherein adoping of the portion 106 is different from a doping of the portion 107.The portion 106 may be provided between the semiconductor layer 103 andthe portion 107 of the semiconductor layer 105 and may be P-doped orN-doped. In some embodiments, the portion 106 of the semiconductor layer105 may include an N-type dopant such as arsenic (As) or a P-type dopantsuch as boron (B). A concentration of the dopant may be in a range fromabout 10¹⁵ cm⁻³ to about the solid solubility limit of each dopant(which may be approximately 10²¹ cm⁻³), for example, about 10²⁰ cm⁻³.The portion 107 of the semiconductor layer 105 that is provided abovethe portion 106 may be substantially undoped or the portion 107 may bedoped inversely to the doping of the portion 106 of the semiconductorlayer 105. In embodiments wherein the portion 107 of the semiconductorlayer 105 is doped inversely to the doping of the portion 106, theportion 107 may be P-doped if the portion 106 is N-doped, and theportion 107 may be N-doped if the portion 106 is P-doped. The thicknessof the portion 106 may be in the range of 40-60 nm, in particular, 50-60nm, and the thickness of the portion 107 may be in the range of 100-200nm, for example, 120-160 nm.

As will be detailed in the following, a transistor may be formed in thesemiconductor structure 100, wherein a drain region of the transistor isformed from the portion 106 of the semiconductor layer 105, and achannel region is formed from the portion 107. In embodiments whereinthe transistor to be formed is an N-type transistor, the portion 106 ofthe semiconductor layer 105 may be N-doped, and in embodiments whereinthe transistor to be formed is a P-channel transistor, the portion 106of the semiconductor layer 105 may be P-doped.

A thickness of the portion 106 of the semiconductor layer 105, measuredin the vertical direction 130 of the substrate 101 (vertical in theplane of drawing of FIG. 2), may be greater than the reduced thicknessof the semiconductor layer 103 that is obtained after reducing thethickness of the first semiconductor layer 103.

In some embodiments, the thickness of the portion 106 of thesemiconductor layer 105 may be greater than five times the reducedthickness of the semiconductor layer 103 and/or greater than ten timesthe reduced thickness of the semiconductor layer 103. For example, thereduced thickness of the semiconductor layer 103 may be in a range fromabout 5-10 nm, and the portion 106 of the semiconductor layer 105 mayhave a thickness in a range from about 50-60 nm.

Thus, a drain region of the transistor formed in the semiconductorstructure 100 that is located close to the dielectric layer 102 may beobtained. A relatively low thickness of the portion of the semiconductorlayer 103 remaining in the semiconductor structure 100 after thereduction of the thickness of the semiconductor layer 103 may besufficient to provide a substantially single crystalline structure ofthe semiconductor layer 105, while having only a small or substantiallyno influence on the electric characteristics of the transistor.

The thickness of the portion 107 of the semiconductor layer 105 may begreater than the thickness of the portion 106 of the semiconductor layer105 and/or greater than twice the thickness of the portion 106. In someembodiments, the portion 107 of the semiconductor layer 105 may have athickness in a range from about 130-150 nm, for example, a thickness ofabout 140 nm.

The thickness of the portion 107 of the semiconductor layer may begreater than a sum of a gate length and a thickness of a source spacerof a transistor to be formed in the semiconductor structure 100. In oneembodiment, the gate length may be approximately 26 nm (22 nm-Node), thethickness of the source spacer may be approximately 20 nm and thethickness of the portion 107 of the semiconductor layer 105 may beapproximately 140 nm to provide additional tolerance. The gate lengthand the source spacer will be explained below.

The doping of the portions 106, 107 of the semiconductor layer 105 maybe provided by in situ doping the material of the semiconductor layer105 during the deposition process. For this purpose, a dopant or achemical compound comprising the dopant may be supplied during thedeposition of the material of the semiconductor layer, so that thedopant is included into the semiconductor layer 105. For forming asubstantially undoped portion 107 of the semiconductor layer 105, asupply of dopant or chemical compound comprising a dopant may be omittedduring the formation of the portion 107.

FIGS. 3a and 3b show schematic views of the semiconductor structure 100in a later stage of the manufacturing process. FIG. 3a shows a schematictop view, and FIG. 3b shows a schematic cross-sectional view along theline A-A in FIG. 3a , corresponding to the cross-sectional views shownin FIGS. 1 and 2.

A first patterning of the portion of the semiconductor layer 105enclosed by the trench isolation structure 104 is performed. In thefirst patterning process, a dummy structure 108 is formed on thesemiconductor layer 105. The dummy structure 108 may include siliconnitride. Alternatively, the dummy structure 108 may include silicondioxide or silicon oxynitride. The dummy structure 108 may have anelongated shape, wherein an extension of the dummy structure 108 in thefirst horizontal direction 128 (horizontal in the view of FIG. 3a ) isgreater than an extension of the dummy structure 108 in the secondhorizontal direction 129 (vertical in the view of FIG. 3a ).

In the first horizontal direction 128, the dummy structure 108 mayextend across the portion of the semiconductor layer 105 enclosed by thetrench isolation structure 104, and/or the ends of the dummy structure108 may overlap with the trench isolation structure 104. The extensionof the dummy structure 108 in the second horizontal direction 129 may besmaller than the extension of the portion of the semiconductor layer 105enclosed by the trench isolation structure 104 in the second horizontaldirection 129, so that a part of the portion of the semiconductor layer105 enclosed by the trench isolation structure 104 is not covered by thedummy structure 108.

The dummy structure 108 need not be located at the center of the portionof the semiconductor layer 105 enclosed by the trench isolationstructure 104. As shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b , a greater part of theportion of the semiconductor layer 105 enclosed by the trench isolationstructure 104 may be located on a first side of the dummy structure 108(below the dummy structure 108 in the view of FIG. 3a and to the rightof the dummy structure 108 in the view of FIG. 3b ) than on a secondside of the dummy structure 108 (above the dummy structure 108 in theview of FIG. 3a and on the left of the dummy structure 108 in the viewof FIG. 3b ).

As will be detailed below, a drain contact via of the transistor to beformed in the semiconductor structure 100 may be provided in the part ofthe semiconductor structure 100 on the first side of the dummy structure108. By not providing the dummy structure 108 at the center of theportion of the semiconductor layer 105 enclosed by the trench isolationstructure 104, more space for forming the drain contact via may beprovided compared to an arrangement in the center.

For forming the dummy structure 108, a layer of a material of the dummystructure 108, for example, a layer of silicon nitride, silicon dioxideor silicon oxynitride, may be deposited by means of a depositionprocess, for example, by means of chemical vapor deposition or plasmaenhanced chemical vapor deposition. Thereafter, the layer of thematerial of the dummy structure 108 may be patterned.

The patterning of the layer of the material of the dummy structure 108may include a photolithography process. In some embodiments, a width ofthe dummy structure 108 in the second horizontal direction 129 maysubstantially correspond to a resolution of the photolithography processemployed in the formation of the dummy structure 108. For example, thewidth of the dummy structure 108 in the second horizontal direction 129may be less than twice the resolution of the photolithography process.The width of the dummy structure 108 in the second horizontal direction129 may be in a range from about 30-40 nm.

In other embodiments, the width of the dummy structure 108 in the secondhorizontal direction 129 may be smaller than the resolution of thephotolithography process used for forming the dummy structure 108. Insuch embodiments, the dummy structure 108 may first be formed with agreater width in the second horizontal direction 129, for example awidth that substantially corresponds to the resolution of thephotolithography process, and an etch process may then be performed forreducing the width of the dummy structure 108 in the second horizontaldirection 129. Alternatively, multiple patterning processes may beemployed for forming the dummy structure 108.

After the formation of the dummy structure 108, spacers 109, 110, 111,112 may be formed adjacent the dummy structure 108. The spacers 110, 112may be formed of substantially the same material as the dummy structure108. The spacers 109, 111 may be formed of a material that may beselectively etched relative to the material of the dummy structure 108and the spacers 110, 112.

In embodiments wherein the dummy structure 108 and the spacers 110, 112are formed of silicon nitride, the spacers 109, 111 may include silicondioxide or silicon oxynitride. In embodiments wherein the dummystructure 108 and the spacers 110, 112 are formed of silicon dioxide,the spacers 109, 111 may include silicon nitride or silicon oxynitride,and in embodiments wherein the dummy structure 108 and the spacers 110,112 are formed of silicon oxynitride, the spacers 109, 111 may includesilicon nitride or silicon dioxide.

Each of the spacers 109, 110, 111, 112 may be formed by substantiallyisotropically depositing a layer of the material of the respectivespacer over the semiconductor structure 100 and then performing ananisotropic etch process.

In the anisotropic etch process, portions of the layer of the materialof the spacer on substantially horizontal portions of the semiconductorstructure 100, for example on the surface of the semiconductor layer105, the top surface of the dummy structure 108 and the top surface ofthe trench isolation structure 104, are removed at a greater etch ratethan portions of the layer on inclined portions of the semiconductorstructure 100, such as the sidewalls of the dummy structure 108 and/orsidewalls of spacers that have already been formed.

The anisotropic etch process may be adapted to selectively remove thematerial of the spacer being formed relative to other materials on thesemiconductor structure 100, in particular relative to the semiconductormaterial of the semiconductor layer 105 and/or the material of thefeature adjacent the spacer to be formed, which may be the dummystructure 108 or another one of the spacers 109 to 112.

The anisotropic etch process may be stopped as soon as portions of thelayer of the material of the spacer on substantially horizontal portionsof the semiconductor structure 100 are removed. Due to the anisotropy ofthe etch process, portions of the material layer on inclined portions ofthe semiconductor structure 100 are not removed and form one of thespacers 109, 110, 111, 112.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the semiconductorstructure 100 in a later stage of the manufacturing process. After theformation of the dummy structure 108 and the spacers 109, 110, 111, 112,a planarization of the semiconductor structure 100 may be performed. Theplanarization may include a chemical mechanical polishing process.

In some embodiments, after the formation of the dummy structure 108 andthe spacers 109 to 112 and before the planarization, a sacrificial layer(not shown) of substantially the same material as the spacers 109, 111may be formed over the semiconductor structure 100. The sacrificiallayer may help to protect the semiconductor layer 105 and the trenchisolation structure 104 during the planarization process and may beremoved later in the manufacturing process, as will be detailed below.In other embodiments, the sacrificial layer may be omitted.

In the planarization, portions of the dummy structure 108 and thespacers 109 to 112 may be removed, so that the dummy structure 108 andthe spacers 109 to 112 obtain a substantially equal thickness in thevertical direction 130 and each of the dummy structure 108 and thespacers 109 to 112 is exposed at the surface of the semiconductorstructure 100. In embodiments wherein a sacrificial layer as describedabove is used, in the planarization, a portion of the sacrificial layeron top of the dummy structure 108 and the spacers 109 to 112 may beremoved, whereas a portion of the sacrificial layer directly on thesemiconductor layer 105 may remain on the semiconductor structure 100.

After the planarization process, the spacers 109, 111 and the optionalsacrificial layer may be removed for exposing the semiconductor layer105 with the exception of those portions that are covered by the dummystructure 108 and the spacers 110, 112. These features form masksextending across the portion of the semiconductor layer 105 enclosed bythe trench isolation structure 104 along the first horizontal direction128, as can be seen by comparing FIG. 4 with FIGS. 3a and 3b . Widths ofthe masks correspond to the widths of the dummy structure 108 and thespacers 110, 112. At the locations of the spacers 109, 111, gaps betweenthe masks are provided, wherein a width of the gaps corresponds to thewidths of the spacers 109, 111.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the semiconductorstructure 100 in a later stage of the manufacturing process. An etchprocess may be performed for partially removing portions of thesemiconductor layer 105 that are not covered by the masks provided bythe dummy structure 108 and the spacers 110, 112. The etch process maybe adapted to selectively remove the material of the semiconductor layer105 relative to the materials of the dummy structure 108, the spacers110, 112 and the trench isolation structure 104. In embodiments whereinthe semiconductor layer 105 includes silicon and the dummy structure108, the spacers 110, 112 and the trench isolation structure 104 includesilicon dioxide, silicon oxynitride and/or silicon nitride, the etchprocess may be adapted to selectively etch silicon relative to silicondioxide, silicon oxynitride and/or silicon nitride.

The etch process may be an anisotropic etch process wherein portions ofthe semiconductor layer 105 that are below the dummy structure 108 andthe spacers 110, 112 are substantially not etched, so that the portionsof the semiconductor layer 105 below the dummy structure 108 and thespacers 110, 112 remaining in the semiconductor structure 100 after theetch process form elongated semiconductor protrusions havingsubstantially vertical sidewalls that extend along the verticaldirection 130.

The portions of the semiconductor layer 105 that are not covered by thedummy structure 108 and the spacers 110, 112 are not completely removedin the etch process. Instead, the etch process may be adapted tosubstantially completely remove parts of the portion 107 of thesemiconductor layer 105 that are not covered by the dummy structure 108and the spacers 110, 112, whereas at least parts of the portion 106 ofthe semiconductor layer 105 may remain in substantially the entire areaof the semiconductor structure 100 enclosed by the trench isolationstructure 104. Moreover, the semiconductor layer 103 may remain in thesemiconductor structure 100.

After the etch process, elongated semiconductor protrusions includingparts of the portion 107 of the semiconductor layer 105 extend acrossthe semiconductor structure 100 along the first horizontal direction128. In the etch process, the semiconductor material of thesemiconductor layer 105 may be etched to a greater depth than thethickness of the portion 107 of the semiconductor layer 105, so that theelongated semiconductor protrusions include parts of the portion 106 ofthe semiconductor layer 105, and there is a transition between thedifferently doped portions 106, 107 of the semiconductor layer 105within each of the elongated semiconductor protrusions.

The width of the elongated semiconductor protrusions in the secondhorizontal direction 129 substantially corresponds to the width of thedummy structure 108 and the spacers 110, 112. Between the elongatedsemiconductor protrusions, there are grooves having a widthsubstantially corresponding to a width of the spacers 109, 111. Thus,the width of the elongated semiconductor protrusions and the spacingbetween the elongated semiconductor protrusions may be controlled byselecting corresponding widths of the dummy structure 108 and thespacers 109 to 112.

In some embodiments, the width of the spacers 110, 112 may besubstantially equal to a width of the dummy structure 108, so that allthe elongated semiconductor protrusions have substantially the samewidth. In other embodiments, the width of the spacers 110, 112 may besmaller than the width of the dummy structure 108, so that the elongatedsemiconductor protrusion formed below the dummy structure 108 is widerthan the elongated semiconductor protrusions formed below the spacers110, 112.

The width of the spacers 109 to 112 depends on the thickness of thematerial layers that are isotropically deposited in the formation of thespacers 109 to 112 and the degree of anisotropy of the etch processperformed in the formation of the spacers 109 to 112. Thus, the width ofthe spacers 109 to 112 is not limited by properties of aphotolithography process, so that the widths of the elongatedsemiconductor protrusions formed below the spacers 110, 112 and thedistance between the elongated semiconductor protrusions may be smallerthan a resolution of the photolithography process employed in theformation of the dummy structure 108. In some embodiments, the spacers109 to 112 may have a width in a range from about 5-20 nm.

After the etch process, the dummy structure 108 and the spacers 110, 112that were used as a mask in the first patterning process may be removed.This may be done by means of an etch process adapted to selectivelyremove the material of the dummy structure 108 and the spacers 110, 112relative to the materials of the semiconductor layer 105 and the trenchisolation structure 104. In embodiments wherein the dummy structure 108and the spacers 110, 112 include silicon nitride, the trench isolationstructure 104 includes silicon dioxide and the semiconductor layer 105includes silicon, the etch process may be adapted to selectively removesilicon nitride relative to silicon and silicon dioxide.

After the removal of the dummy structure 108 and the spacers 110, 112,the grooves between the elongated semiconductor protrusions formed fromthe semiconductor layer 105 and the space between the elongatedsemiconductor protrusions and the trench isolation structure 104 may befilled with a fill material 113. In some embodiments, this may be doneby depositing a layer of the fill material 113 over the semiconductorstructure 100. Thereafter, a planarization process, for example achemical mechanical polishing process, may be performed for providing asubstantially planar surface of the semiconductor structure and forexposing the elongated semiconductor protrusions and/or for exposing thetrench isolation structures 104.

The present disclosure is not limited to embodiments wherein the dummystructure 108 and the spacers 110, 112 are removed by means of an etchprocess as described above. Alternatively, the dummy structure 108 andthe spacers 110, 112 may remain on the semiconductor structure 100during the deposition of the fill material 113 and may be removed duringthe subsequent chemical mechanical polishing process.

FIGS. 6a and 6b show schematic views of the semiconductor structure 100in a later stage of the manufacturing process. FIG. 6a shows a schematictop view, and FIG. 6b shows a schematic cross-sectional view along theline A-A shown in FIG. 6a , corresponding to the cross-sections shown inFIGS. 1, 2, 3 b, 4 and 5.

A second patterning process of the portion of the semiconductor layer105 enclosed by the trench isolation structure 104 is performed forforming a plurality of nanowires 114 extending in the vertical direction130 of the substrate 101. A length of the nanowires 114 in the verticaldirection 130 may be greater than widths of the nanowires 114 in thefirst horizontal direction 128 and the second horizontal direction 129of the substrate 101. In some embodiments, the length of the nanowires114 in the vertical direction 130 may be more than twice, more thanthree times, more than five times and/or more than ten times the widthsof the nanowires 114 in the first horizontal direction 128 and/or thesecond horizontal direction 129.

The portion 106 of the semiconductor layer 105 may be exposed betweenthe nanowires 114, wherein substantially no residues of the portion 107of the semiconductor layer 105 remain in the gaps between the nanowires114 and in the space between the nanowires 114 and the trench isolationstructure 104. The nanowires 114 may include an upper portion formed ofmaterial from the portion 107 of the semiconductor layer 105. The lengthof the nanowires 114 in the vertical direction 130 of the substrate 100may be greater than the thickness of the portion 107 of thesemiconductor layer 105, so that each of the nanowires 114 includes alower portion formed from material of the portion 106 of thesemiconductor layer 105.

Thus, in each of the nanowires 114, a transition between a first dopingcorresponding to the doping of the portion 106 of the semiconductorlayer 105 and a second doping corresponding to the doping of the portion107 of the semiconductor layer 105 may be provided. In particular, eachof the nanowires 114 may include a transition between a P-doped or anN-doped region, respectively, and a substantially undoped region,wherein the substantially undoped region is provided at a greaterdistance to the substrate 101 than the P-doped or N-doped region.Alternatively, each of the nanowires 114 may include a PN transition, ifthe nanowires are formed from a semiconductor layer 105 wherein theportion 107 is doped inversely to the doping of the portion 106.

In the second patterning process, a dummy structure similar to the dummystructure 108 may be formed over the semiconductor structure 100.Similar to the dummy structure 108, this second dummy structure may havean elongated shape, wherein a width of the second dummy structure issubstantially equal to or slightly greater than a resolution of aphotolithography process employed for the formation of the second dummystructure. In embodiments wherein the width of the second dummystructure is reduced after the formation of the second dummy structureand/or wherein multiple patterning processes are employed for theformation of the second dummy structure, the width of the second dummystructure may be smaller than the resolution of the photolithographyprocess.

However, the arrangement of the second dummy structure relative to thesubstrate 101 is different from the arrangement of the dummy structure108. Whereas, as described above, the length direction of the dummystructure 108 extends along the first horizontal direction 128, thelength direction of the second dummy structure may extend along thesecond horizontal direction 129. Thus, the second dummy structureextends across the portion of the semiconductor structure 100 enclosedby the trench isolation structure 104 in the second horizontal direction129, and the width of the second dummy structure extends along the firsthorizontal direction 128. Hence, compared to the dummy structure 108,the arrangement of the second dummy structure is rotated by an angle ofapproximately 90 degrees.

Further features of the second patterning process may correspond to thefirst patterning process described above with reference to FIGS. 3a -5.In particular, spacer elements and/or a sacrificial material layer maybe formed adjacent the second dummy structure, a planarization may beperformed, some of the spacers and/or the optional sacrificial layer maybe selectively etched relative to the material of the second dummystructure and one or more other spacers, and an etch process forselectively etching the material of the semiconductor layer 105 relativeto the materials of the second dummy structure, the spacers remaining onthe semiconductor structure 100 and/or the trench isolation structure104 may be performed. A depth of the etch process may be approximatelyequal to the depth of the etch process employed in the first patterningprocess.

Thus, the nanowires 114 are formed at locations at which thesemiconductor layer 105 is covered during both patterning processes by arespective dummy structure and/or a respective one of the spacers thatremain on the semiconductor structure 100 when the material of thesemiconductor layer 105 is etched. The nanowires may have widths ofbelow 20 nm, in particular, 5-15 nm.

The second dummy structure need not be arranged at the center of theportion of the semiconductor structure 100 enclosed by the trenchisolation structure 104. Thus, a space for providing a gate contact viaproviding an electric contact to the gate electrode of the transistor tobe formed in the semiconductor structure 100 may be provided on one sideof the nanowires 114. For example, the space for providing the gatecontact via may be located on the right side in the top view shown inFIG. 6 a.

The present disclosure is not limited to embodiments wherein the first108 and the second dummy structure remain on the semiconductor structure100 in the first and the second patterning process when the material ofthe semiconductor layer 105 is etched. Alternatively, in one of thepatterning processes, or in both patterning processes, the dummystructure may be removed, and spacers adjacent the dummy structureformed of a different material than the dummy structure, for example thespacers 109, 111, may remain on the semiconductor structure 100 and maybe used as a mask when the material of the semiconductor layer 105 isetched.

For example, in the first patterning process, the dummy structure 108may be removed and the spacers 109, 111 may be used as an etch mask, andthe second patterning process may be performed as described above. Thus,different from the configuration shown in FIG. 6a , only four rows ofnanowires 114, the rows of nanowires being arranged along the firsthorizontal direction 128, may be formed. In further embodiments, agreater or smaller number of spacers similar to spacers 109 to 112 maybe formed for providing a different number of nanowires.

According to the present disclosure, performance of a semiconductordevice formed based on nanowires is improved by providing nanowires withstrained outer layers (shells). Particularly, the nanowires may providechannel regions for transistor devices. Experiments have shown that themaximum carrier density can be in the shells. In this case, tensilestress in the nanowire shell may enhance electron mobility in anN-channel FET, whereas compressive stress in the nanowire shell mayenhance hole mobility in a P-channel FET. As shown in FIG. 6c , anetching process 200 may be performed to remove parts at outer edges ofthe (provisional) nanowires 114. The etching process 200 may be anisotropic etching removing at least nanowire material 114 a of athickness of 2 nm, particularly, at least 3 nm or 4 nm at the outeredges of the (provisional) nanowires. The remaining nanowire materialforms the core of the eventually resulting nanowires (see FIG. 6b ).During an epitaxial deposition process 300, material of the thickness ofthe previously removed nanowire material (or a different thickness) isdeposited to form shells 114 b of the nanowires 114. The strainedmaterial may be properly doped. For example, a material comprising orconsisting of SiGe may be deposited in the deposition process 300. TheSiGe material may comprise at least 20%, in particular, at least 30%, Geresulting in a (biaxial) compressive stress in the shells 114 b and a(biaxial) tensile stress in the cores 114 c of the nanowires 114.

For a channel length of about 26 nm and a diameter of the nanowire(including core and shell) of about 17 nm, for example, wherein theshell has a thickness of about 2.5 nm and assuming cylindrical geometryof the nanowire, the volumes of the Si core and SiGe shell of thenanowire 114 each may contribute to about 50% of the channel region. Inthis case, a maximum strain will be exhibited for enhancing the mobilityof the charge carriers.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the semiconductorstructure 100 in a later stage of the manufacturing process. After theformation of the nanowires 114 comprising the shells 114 b and cores 114c, a drain spacer 115 may be formed. The drain spacer 115 may be formedof a dielectric material having a relatively low dielectric constant,for example, silicon dioxide. Alternatively, the drain spacer 115 may beformed of silicon nitride or silicon oxynitride. The formation of thedrain spacer 115 may include an anisotropic deposition process. In theanisotropic deposition process, a layer of a drain spacer material isdeposited over the semiconductor structure 100, wherein a depositionrate of the drain spacer material over substantially horizontal portionsof the semiconductor structure 100 is greater than a deposition rate ofthe drain spacer material over inclined portions of the semiconductorstructure 100.

The substantially horizontal portions of the semiconductor structure 100include the surface of the portion 106 of the semiconductor layer 105exposed between the nanowires 114 and in the space between the nanowires114 and the trench isolation structure 104, as well as top surfaces ofthe nanowires 114 and the trench isolation structure 104. The inclinedportions of the semiconductor structure 100 include sidewalls of thetrench isolation structure 104 and the nanowires 114.

The layer of drain spacer material formed in the anisotropic depositionprocess has a greater thickness on the horizontal portions of thesemiconductor structure 100 than on the inclined portions, the thicknessbeing measured in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surfaceof the respective portion of the semiconductor structure 100. Inparticular, a portion of the layer of drain spacer material on thesurface of the exposed portion 106 of the semiconductor layer 105between the nanowires 114 has a greater thickness than a portion of thelayer of drain spacer material on the sidewalls of the nanowires 114.

The anisotropic deposition process used for forming the layer of drainspacer material may be a high density plasma chemical vapor depositionprocess. In embodiments wherein the drain spacer 115 includes silicondioxide, in the high density plasma chemical vapor deposition process, areactant gas including silane (SiH₄), oxygen (O₂) and a noble gas, forexample argon (Ar) or helium (He), may be used. Oxygen molecules andnoble gas atoms in the reactant gas may be excited by the high densityplasma source so that ions are formed.

A bias voltage applied to the semiconductor structure 100 and/or anelectrode in the vicinity of the semiconductor structure 100 pulls theions towards the surface of the semiconductor structure 100. Oxygen ionsreact with silane to form silicon dioxide that is deposited on thesemiconductor structure 100, while the noble gas ions simultaneouslysputter deposited material away. The rate at which material is sputteredmay be particularly high in the vicinity of edges of the nanowires 114and/or the trench isolation structure 104.

Parameters of the high density plasma chemical vapor deposition process,such as plasma density, bias voltage, composition of the reactant gas,pressure and temperature, may be adapted such that a net deposition ofsilicon dioxide on the semiconductor structure 100 occurs, whereas thesimultaneous sputtering of the deposited material prevents a formationof overhangs at the edges of the nanowires 114 and/or the trenchisolation structure 104. Thus, deposition of material in the gapsbetween the nanowires 114 and the space between the nanowires 114 andthe trench isolation structure 104 may be obtained substantially withouta formation of voids.

After the anisotropic deposition of the layer of drain spacer material,an isotropic etch process, which may, for example, be a dry etchprocess, may be performed. In the isotropic etch process, an etch rateof portions of the layer of drain spacer material on the inclinedsurface portions of the semiconductor structure 100 may be substantiallyequal to an etch rate of portions of the layer of drain spacer materialon the substantially horizontal portions of the surface of thesemiconductor structure 100.

In the isotropic etch process, portions of the layer of drain spacermaterial on top surfaces of the nanowires 114 and/or the top surface ofthe trench isolation structure 104 may be affected by an etchant used inthe isotropic etch process to a greater extent than portions of thelayer of drain spacer material on the surface of the portion 106 of thesemiconductor layer 105 exposed between the nanowires 114. The etchantmay interact with the top surface and the side surfaces of the portionsof the layer of drain spacer material on top of the nanowires 114 andthe trench isolation structure 104. To the contrary, there are no suchside surfaces at the portions of the layer of drain spacer material onthe portion 106 of the semiconductor layer 105 between the nanowires114. Due to the relatively small extension of the nanowires 114 and thetrench isolation structure 104 in the horizontal directions 128, 129,the areas of the side surfaces of the portions of the layer of drainspacer material on top of the nanowires 114 and the trench isolationstructure 104 may be of about the same order of magnitude than the areaof the top surfaces. Therefore, a faster removal of drain spacermaterial may be obtained at the top surfaces of the nanowires 114 andthe trench isolation structure 104 than at the portions between thenanowires 114 and in the space between the nanowires 114 and the trenchisolation structure 104.

The isotropic etch process may be performed until rests of the layer ofdrain spacer material are present substantially only on the surface ofthe portion 106 of the semiconductor layer 105 between the nanowires 114and in the space between the nanowires 114 and the trench isolationstructure 104. The rests of the layer of drain spacer material form thedrain spacer 115, as shown in FIG. 7. The drain spacer 115 may cover thesurface of the portion 106 of the semiconductor layer 105, wherein thenanowires 114 extend through openings in the drain spacer 115, and sidesurfaces and top surfaces of the nanowires 114 are exposed. Thus, thedrain spacer 115 annularly encloses each of the nanowires 114.

After the formation of the drain spacer 115, a gate insulation layer 116may be formed on the exposed surfaces of the nanowires 114. Inembodiments wherein the nanowires 114 include silicon, the gateinsulation layer 116 may include silicon dioxide and may be formed by athermal oxidation process. In some embodiments, the gate insulationlayer 116 may be a silicon dioxide layer having a thickness of about 2nm and may be formed by a thermal oxidation process performed for about20 seconds at a temperature of about 850° C. in an oxidizing ambient,such as a gas comprising oxygen and/or water. In other embodiments, thegate insulation layer 116 may include a high-k material such as, forexample, hafnium dioxide and may be formed by means of techniques forforming a high-k gate insulation layer on a semiconductor surfacesimilar to techniques employed in the formation of planar field effecttransistors comprising a gate insulation layer formed of a high-kmaterial.

FIG. 8 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the semiconductorstructure 100 in a later stage of the manufacturing process. After theformation of the gate insulation layer 116, a gate electrode 117 may beformed over the semiconductor structure 100.

The gate electrode 117 may include a metal. The metal of the gateelectrode 117 may be selected for adapting a work function of the gateelectrode 117 to a work function of the semiconductor material of thenanowires 114. The material of the gate electrode 117 may be selecteddepending on whether the transistor to be formed in the semiconductorstructure 100 is a P-channel transistor or an N-channel transistor. Inembodiments wherein an N-channel transistor is to be formed and whereinthe portion 106 of the semiconductor layer 105 includes an N-typedopant, the metal of the gate electrode 117 may include La, LaN or TiN.In embodiments wherein a P-channel transistor is to be formed andwherein the portion 106 of the semiconductor layer 105 is P-doped, themetal of the gate electrode 117 may include Al, AlN or TiN. In furtherembodiments, the gate electrode 117 may be formed of a semiconductormaterial, for example polysilicon.

Similar to the drain spacer 115, the gate electrode 117 may be formed byanisotropically depositing a layer of the material of the gate electrode117 over the semiconductor structure 100 and performing an isotropicetch process to remove portions of the layer of the material of the gateelectrode 117 on sidewalls and top surfaces of the nanowires 114 and thetrench isolation structure 104. The gate electrode 117 covers a surfaceof the drain spacer 115, wherein the nanowires 114 and the gateinsulation layer 116 extend through openings in the gate electrode 117.Thus, the gate electrode 117 annularly encloses each of the nanowires114.

After the formation of the gate electrode 117, portions of the gateinsulation layer 116 that are not covered by the gate electrode 117 maybe removed by means of an etch process. In embodiments wherein the gateinsulation layer 116 includes silicon dioxide, this may be done by meansof a wet etch cleaning process wherein the semiconductor structure 100is exposed to diluted hydrofluoric acid.

Thereafter, a source spacer 118 may be formed. Similar to the drainspacer 115, the source spacer 118 may be formed of silicon dioxide, andtechniques for forming the source spacer 118 may correspond totechniques employed in the formation of the drain spacer 115. Inparticular, the formation of the source spacer 118 may include ananisotropic deposition of a layer of the material of the source spacer118 and an isotropic etch process. The anisotropic deposition processmay be a high density plasma chemical vapor deposition process and theisotropic etch process may be a dry etch process.

The thickness of the source spacer 118 need not be substantially equalto a thickness of the drain spacer 115. In some embodiments, the sourcespacer 118 may have a greater thickness than the drain spacer 115. Thus,on the source side of the nanowires 114, more space may be provided forforming a source contact of the transistor to be formed in thesemiconductor structure 100. For example, in some embodiments, thethickness of the source spacer 118 may be about twice the thickness ofthe drain spacer 115.

FIG. 9 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the semiconductorstructure 100 in a later stage of the manufacturing process. After theformation of the source spacer 118, an etch process adapted toselectively remove the material of the nanowires 114 relative to thematerials of the source spacer 118 and the trench isolation structure104 may be performed. In embodiments wherein the source spacer 118 andthe trench isolation structure 104 include silicon dioxide and thenanowires 114 include silicon, the etch process may be an isotropic etchprocess adapted to selectively etch silicon relative to silicon dioxide.

In the etch process, an upper part of each of the nanowires 114 (upperpart of both the cores 114 c and the shells 114 b) is removed. Anotherpart of each of the nanowires 114 remains in the semiconductor structure100. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 119 denotes distal ends of the partsof the nanowires 114 that remain in the semiconductor structure 100after the etch process. The distal ends 119 of the parts of thenanowires 114 remaining in the semiconductor structure 100 after theetch process may be closer to the substrate 101 than the horizontal topsurface of the source spacer 118. Thus, after the etch process, a recessis provided at the location of each of the nanowires 114, wherein thedistal ends 119 of the nanowires 114 are exposed at the bottoms of therecesses and sidewalls of the recesses are formed by the source spacer118.

After the etch process, the recesses may be filled with a semiconductormaterial 120. The semiconductor material 120 may include the samesemiconductor material as the nanowires 114. For example, in embodimentswherein the nanowires 114 include silicon, the semiconductor material120 may also include silicon. However, a doping of the semiconductormaterial 120 may be different from a doping of portions of the nanowires114 adjacent the semiconductor material 120 that have been formed fromthe portion 107 of the semiconductor layer 105.

A type of dopant in the semiconductor material 120 may be the same asthe type of dopant in the portion 106 of the semiconductor layer 105. Inparticular, in embodiments wherein an N-channel transistor is to beformed in the semiconductor structure 100, the portion 106 of thesemiconductor layer 105 as well as the semiconductor material 120 may beP-doped. In embodiments wherein a P-channel transistor is to be formedin the semiconductor structure 100, the portion 106 of the semiconductorlayer 105 and the semiconductor material 120 may include N-type dopants.In some embodiments wherein the semiconductor material 120 is N-doped,the semiconductor material 120 may include arsenic at a dopantconcentration in a range from about 10¹⁵ cm⁻³ to about 10²¹ cm⁻³ (solidsolubility limit), for example a concentration of about 10²¹ cm⁻³. Thedopant concentration in the semiconductor material 120 may be greaterthan the dopant concentration in the portion 106 of the semiconductorlayer 105. The portion 106 of the semiconductor layer 105 may receive ahigher thermal budget, and its dopants may show more diffusion into theportion 107 of the semiconductor layer 105.

As will be detailed below, a drain region of a transistor to be formedin the semiconductor structure 100 may be formed from the portion 106 ofthe semiconductor layer 105, a channel region may be formed from portion107, and a source region may be formed from the semiconductor material120. Providing a lower dopant concentration in the portion 106 of thesemiconductor layer 105 may help to avoid or at least reduce dopantsfloating in the channel region.

Source regions with less thermal budget may be produced with a doping of10²¹ cm⁻³ (solid solubility limit) to receive the best sourceresistance. A low drain resistance may be provided by providing arelatively thick portion 106 of the semiconductor layer 105 from whichthe drain region is formed.

In embodiments wherein the semiconductor material 120 is P-doped, thesemiconductor material 120 may include boron at a concentration in arange from about 10¹⁹ cm⁻³ to about 10²¹ cm⁻³, for example at aconcentration of about 10²⁰ cm⁻³.

The semiconductor material 120 may be deposited by means of a selectiveepitaxial growth process, for example chemical vapor deposition process,a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process, a molecular beamepitaxy process or a metal organic chemical vapor deposition process, asdescribed above in the context of the formation of the semiconductorlayer 105. Thus, in the deposition of the semiconductor material 120,substantially no semiconductor material or only a small amount ofsemiconductor material is deposited on the surface of the source spacer118 and the trench isolation structure 104. The semiconductor material120 may have a thickness in a range from about 5-15 nm, for example athickness of about 10 nm.

The semiconductor material 120 may be in situ doped. For this purpose, adopant or a chemical compound comprising a dopant may be supplied duringthe deposition of the semiconductor material 120.

After the deposition of the semiconductor material 120, an annealingprocess may be performed. The annealing process may activate dopants inthe semiconductor material 120. Moreover, the annealing process maycause some diffusion of dopants from the semiconductor material 120, sothat a smoother transition between the doping of the semiconductormaterial 120 and the adjacent portions of the nanowires 114 formed fromthe portion 107 of the semiconductor layer 105 is obtained.

The annealing process may employ a combination of a rapid thermalannealing (RTA) process and a laser spike annealing (LSA) process,wherein the rapid thermal annealing process may be performed for about 5seconds at a temperature of about 920° C., and the laser spike annealingprocess may be performed for about 0.002 seconds at a temperature ofabout 1225° C.

It is noted that, after the deposition of the semiconductor material, asource contact layer may be formed. The source contact layer may includea silicide. For forming the source contact layer, a silicon layer, forexample a layer of polysilicon, may be formed over the semiconductorstructure 100. Thereafter, a layer of a metal, for example a layer ofnickel, tungsten and/or titanium, may be deposited on the silicon layer.Thereafter, an annealing process, for example a rapid thermal annealingprocess, may be performed for initiating a chemical reaction between themetal and the silicon. In the chemical reaction, silicide is formed. Inaddition to the material of the silicon layer deposited over thesemiconductor structure 100, a part of the semiconductor material 120may also react with the metal and form a silicide. Thus, an interfacebetween silicide and doped semiconductor material may be provided moreclosely to the substrate 101 than the surface of the semiconductormaterial 120 that is obtained directly after the deposition of thesemiconductor material 120. However, a portion of non-reacted dopedsemiconductor material 120 may remain on the nanowires 114, so thatthere is a transition between differently doped semiconductor materialsat the distal ends 119 of the nanowires 114.

After the annealing process is performed for forming silicide, excessmetal may be removed by means of a cleaning process.

After the formation of the source contact layer, the semiconductorstructure 100 includes a transistor. The portion 106 of thesemiconductor layer 105 below the nanowires 114 forms a drain of thetransistor. Portions of the nanowires 114 that have been formed from theportion 107 of the semiconductor layer 105 provide a channel region ofthe transistor and a source of the transistor is provided by thesemiconductor material 120 and the source contact layer.

The transistor may be switched between an electrically conductiveon-state and an off-state having only a relatively low electricalconductivity by applying an electric voltage to the gate electrode 117.The gate electrode 117 is electrically insulated from the channel regionin the nanowires 114 by the gate insulation layer 116, and is isolatedfrom the drain region and the source region by the drain spacer 115 andthe source spacer 118, respectively. Since the channel region of thetransistor is provided in the nanowires 114, and the gate electrode 117annularly encloses the nanowires 114, the gate electrode 117 extends allaround the channel region, which may improve the controllability of thechannel that is obtainable by applying a voltage to the gate electrode117.

An interface between the doped semiconductor material in the drain ofthe transistor and the substantially undoped or inversely dopedsemiconductor material in the channel of the transistor is provided bythe interface between the portions 106 and 107 of the semiconductorlayer 105. An interface between the doped semiconductor material in thesource of the transistor and the substantially undoped or inverselydoped semiconductor material in the channel region is provided by theinterface between the semiconductor material 120 and the nanowires 114.

The location of the interface between the source region and the channelregion of the transistor relative to the gate electrode 117 may becontrolled by selecting the thickness of the source spacer 118 and theamount of semiconductor material that is removed in the etching of thenanowires 114 that is performed after the formation of the source spacer118. Thus, the location of the interface between the channel region andthe source region may be relatively precisely controlled.

In the above-described embodiment, a source or drain was formed in asemiconductor layer below the nanowire. The nanowire was doped accordingto the requirements of an N-channel or P-channel FET. A source or drainwas formed in semiconductor material replacing an upper part of thenanowire. According to the embodiment described below with reference toFIGS. 10a-10g , the nanowire is directly formed from differently dopedsemiconductor layers. Thus, a channel region and one of a source ordrain region are formed without the need for replacing part of theformed nanowire with doped semiconductor material, thereby somewhatsimplifying the overall manufacturing process.

FIG. 10a shows a semiconductor structure 1100 wherein a firstsemiconductor layer 1102 and a second semiconductor layer 1103 areformed on a semiconductor substrate 1101. The semiconductor substrate1101 may be a silicon substrate. At least in the region adjacent to thefirst semiconductor layer 1102, the semiconductor substrate 1101 isdoped with a first type of dopants. The first semiconductor layer 1102is doped with a second type of dopants (i.e., inversely doped withrespect to the semiconductor substrate 1101). The second semiconductorlayer 1103 is doped with the first type of dopants.

Furthermore, the structure 1100 comprises shallow trench isolations 1104that may electrically isolate parts of the semiconductor layers 1102 and1103. A dummy element 1105 is formed on the second semiconductor layer1103. The dummy element 1105 may have an elongated shape with adimension in the first direction 1116 larger than a dimension in thesecond direction 1117. The width of the dummy element 1105 in the seconddirection 1117 may correspond to the resolution of a photolithographyprocess/device used for the formation of the dummy element 1105. Asshown in FIG. 10a , the first and second direction 1116 and 1117 areperpendicular to a thickness direction 1118 of the structure 1100.Similar to the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1a -9, aplurality of alternating spacer elements of a first kind of material1107, 1109 and one or more spacer elements of a second kind of material1108 are formed at sides of the dummy element 1105 and on the secondsemiconductor layer 1103. The spacer elements 1107, 1108 and 1109 areformed from corresponding spacer layers that are deposited on the secondsemiconductor layer 1103 and etched appropriately. The first kind ofmaterial may comprise or consist of silicon nitride and the second kindof material may comprise or consist of silicon dioxide or vice versa. Amaterial layer 1110 is formed over the dummy element 1105 and the spacerelements 1107, 1108, 1109 and may be made of the material of the dummyelement 1105 and the spacer element 1108. The material layer 1110 may beformed by chemical vapor deposition or plasma enhanced chemicaldeposition, for example.

FIG. 10b shows the structure 1100 in a further developed processingstage. Planarization, for example, chemical mechanical polishing, isperformed, thereby removing the part of the material layer 1110 formedon the dummy element 1105 and the spacer elements 1107, 1108, 1109.Parts of the dummy element 1105 and the spacer elements 1107, 1108, 1109are also removed to achieve a flat surface of the semiconductorstructure 1100. After planarization, the remaining part of the dummyelement 1105 is enclosed by the remaining parts of the spacer elements1107, 1108, 1109 that in turn are enclosed by the remaining part of thematerial layer 1110.

FIG. 10c shows the structure 1100 in a further developed processingstage. The remaining parts of the spacer elements 1107 and 1109 areremoved to expose parts of the second semiconductor layer 1103. Removalof the remaining parts of the spacer elements 1107 and 1109 may beachieved by selectively (with respect to the material of the dummyelement 1105 and the material of the spacer element 1108) etching thematerial of the remaining spacer elements 1107 and 1109. After removalof the remaining parts of the spacer elements 1107 and 1109, the exposedparts of the second semiconductor layer 1103 are (anisotropically)etched selectively to the materials of the dummy element 1105, spacerelement 1108 and material layer 1110. The etching may also remove partsof the first semiconductor layer 1102 and is stopped at the surface ofthe semiconductor substrate 1101. In principle, the etching may bestopped before the surface of the semiconductor substrate 1101 isexposed or it may be carried out until some part of the semiconductorsubstrate 1101 is also removed. However, as a result, trenches extendingin the first direction 1116 are formed within the region of thestructure 1100 that is defined by the shallow trench isolations 1104.The trenches achieved by removal of the parts of the first and secondsemiconductor layers 1102 and 1103 have widths corresponding to thewidths of the remaining (and removed) spacer elements 1107 and 1109. Thewidths of the remaining (and removed) spacer elements 1107 and 1109depend on the thickness of the spacer layers from which the spacerelements are formed and the degree of anisotropy of the etching processused in forming the spacer elements from the deposited spacer layers.Since these characteristics, in particular, the thickness of the spacerlayer, are not influenced by photolithographic limitations, the trenchesmay exhibit widths below any photolithographic resolution. Particularly,the widths of the trenches (in the direction 1117) may lie in the rangeof 5-20 nm.

In a next processing step, the remaining parts of the spacer element1108, the dummy element 1105 and material layer 1110 may be removed andthe trenches may be filled with filling material 1111 (see FIG. 10d ).Chemical mechanical polishing may be performed to remove fillingmaterial outside the filled trenches.

FIGS. 10e and 10f show the structure 1100 in a further developed stage.FIG. 10e shows a plan view and FIG. 10f a cross-section along line A-Aof FIG. 10e . These figures illustrate the result of a furtherstructuring process carried out for the region enclosed by the STIs1104. In this further structuring process, another dummy element similarto the dummy element 1105 described above may be formed over thesemiconductor structure 1100. This other dummy element may exhibit anelongated shape with a width given by a photolithographic resolution ofa photolithographic device used for the formation of the other dummyelement. Different from dummy element 1105, the longitudinal directionof the other dummy element is parallel to the second direction 1117 andthe width direction of the other dummy element is parallel to the firstdirection 1116. Further structuring steps are performed similar to theones described with reference to FIGS. 10a-10c . Thus, further trenchesare formed in the first and second semiconductor layers 1102 and 1103after formation and selective removal of spacer elements formed asidethe other dummy element and selective removal of the thereby exposedparts of the first and second semiconductor layers 1102 and 1103.Whereas the trenches filled by the filling material 1111 (see FIG. 10d )run in the first direction 1116, the trenches formed by the secondstructuring process run in the second direction 1117.

After removal of the filling material 1111, nanowires formed from thefirst and second semiconductor layers 1102 and 1103 and extending in thevertical direction 1118 result, as it is shown in FIGS. 10e and 10f .The nanowires comprise upper parts 1103 doped with the same type ofdopants as used for doping the upper part of the semiconductor substrate1101. The nanowires comprise lower parts 1102 doped inversely ascompared to the upper parts.

According to the present disclosure, performance of a semiconductordevice formed based on nanowires is improved by providing nanowires withstrained outer layers (shells). Particularly, the nanowires may providechannel regions for transistor devices. In this case, tensile stress inthe nanowire core may enhance electron mobility in an N-channel FET,whereas compressive stress in the nanowire core may enhance holemobility in a P-channel FET. Similar to the process shown in FIG. 6c ,an etching process may be performed to remove parts at outer edges ofthe nanowires illustrated in FIGS. 10e and 10f . Again, the etchingprocess may be an isotropic etching removing at least nanowire materialof a thickness of 1 nm, particularly, at least 2 nm or 2.2 nm, at theouter edges of the nanowires. The remaining nanowire material forms thecore of the eventually resulting nanowires. During an epitaxialdeposition process, material of the thickness of the previously removednanowire material (or a different thickness) is deposited to form shellsof a strained material of the nanowires. The strained material may beproperly doped. For example, a material comprising or consisting of SiGemay deposited in the deposition process. The SiGe material may compriseat least 20%, in particular at least 30%, Ge resulting in a (biaxial)compressive stress in the shells and a (biaxial) tensile stress in thecores of the resulting nanowires.

FIG. 10g shows the semiconductor structure in a further developedmanufacturing stage. The nanowires comprise material of the first andsecond semiconductor layers 1102 and 1103 as cores and shells 1002 b,1003 b (where the reference signs denote lower and upper parts of theshells, respectively) made of the epitaxially deposited material. A gateisolation layer 1112 is deposited in the trenches. The gate isolationlayer 1112 may have a thickness of below 5 nm, for example, 2 nm.Subsequently, a gate electrode 1113 is formed. The formation of the gateelectrode 1113 may be achieved by depositing an electrically conductivematerial, for example, a metal, such as Al, or a semiconductor material,such as polysilicon. Moreover, the gate electrode 1113 may comprise ametal component for adjusting the work function. The thickness of thismetal component may be comparable to the gate length. Subsequently, thetrenches may be completely filled with an isolation material 1114 and adrain electrode 1115 may be formed for contacting the upper parts of thenanowires.

As a result and as it was described with reference to the accompanyingfigures, the present disclosure provides a semiconductor devicecomprising a nanowire FET wherein performance of the nanowire FET issignificantly enhanced by a strained material shell.

The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as theinvention may be modified and practiced in different but equivalentmanners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of theteachings herein. For example, the process steps set forth above may beperformed in a different order. Furthermore, no limitations are intendedto the details of construction or design herein shown, other than asdescribed in the claims below. It is, therefore, evident that theparticular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified andall such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of theinvention. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth inthe claims below.

What is claimed:
 1. A method of forming a semiconductor device,comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate having an upper surface;forming a nanowire of a semiconductor material over said semiconductorsubstrate, wherein said nanowire has a length that is oriented in avertical direction that is substantially perpendicular to said uppersurface of said semiconductor substrate, said nanowire comprising firstand second sides extending in said vertical length direction, whereinsaid first side has a first width that is oriented in a first horizontaldirection that is substantially parallel to said upper surface and saidsecond side has a second width that is oriented in a second horizontaldirection that is substantially parallel to said upper surface andsubstantially perpendicular to said first horizontal direction, saidnanowire length being greater than each of said first and secondnanowire widths; removing part of said semiconductor material of saidnanowire; and after removing said part of said semiconductor material,coating the remaining nanowire with a material exhibiting compressive ortensile stress.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said nanowire lengthis at least approximately two times greater than each of said first andsecond nanowire widths.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein coating saidremaining nanowire with said material exhibiting compressive or tensilestress comprises forming a stressed nanowire shell, said stressednanowire shell continuously covering substantially an entirety of saidnanowire core.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein said remaining nanowireresulting from said removal of said part of said semiconductor materialis comprised of silicon and said material exhibiting compressive ortensile stress is comprised of silicon-germanium having at least 20%germanium.
 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising forming a gateinsulation layer annularly around said nanowire comprising said materialexhibiting compressive or tensile stress and forming a gate electrode onsaid gate insulation layer.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein saidnanowire comprises a near end positioned close to said semiconductorsubstrate and a distal end positioned opposite said near end along saidvertical length direction of said nanowire and said method furthercomprises replacing part of said semiconductor material at said distalend with a semiconductor material that is inversely doped with respectto the remaining semiconductor material of said nanowire.
 7. The methodof claim 6, wherein said semiconductor substrate is an SOI substratecomprising a first semiconductor layer formed on an oxide layer andwherein forming said nanowire comprises: forming a second dopedsemiconductor layer on said first semiconductor layer; forming a thirdsemiconductor layer on said second doped semiconductor layer, whereinsaid third doped semiconductor layer is undoped or inversely doped withrespect to said second doped semiconductor layer; forming a structureabove said third semiconductor layer, wherein forming said structurecomprises: forming a dummy element of a first material above said thirdsemiconductor layer; and forming a plurality of spacer elements on atleast both sides of said dummy element, wherein said plurality of spacerelements comprises spacer elements of said first material and spacerelements of a second material different from said first material in analternating manner; planarizing said formed structure, thereby obtaininga planarized dummy element and planarized spacer elements of said firstand second material; removing said planarized spacer elements of saidsecond material; and etching the portions of said third semiconductorlayer exposed by the removal of said planarized spacer elements of saidsecond material and part of said second doped semiconductor layer usingsaid planarized dummy element and planarized spacer elements of saidfirst material as an etch mask.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein saidsemiconductor device comprises a FET and said nanowire comprises achannel of said FET.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein saidsemiconductor substrate comprises a first doped semiconductor layer andwherein forming said nanowire comprises: forming a second dopedsemiconductor layer on said first doped semiconductor layer, whereinsaid second doped semiconductor layer is inversely doped with respect tosaid first doped semiconductor layer; forming a third dopedsemiconductor layer on said second doped semiconductor layer, whereinsaid third doped semiconductor layer is inversely doped with respect tosaid second doped semiconductor layer; forming a structure above saidthird semiconductor layer, wherein forming said structure comprises:forming a dummy element above said third doped semiconductor layer; andforming a plurality of spacer elements on at least both sides of saiddummy element, wherein said plurality of spacer elements comprisesspacer elements of said first material and spacer elements of a secondmaterial different from said first material in an alternating manner;planarizing said formed structure, thereby obtaining a planarized dummyelement and planarized spacer elements of said first and secondmaterial; removing said planarized spacer elements of said secondmaterial; and etching the portions of said third doped semiconductorlayer exposed by the removal of said planarized spacer elements of saidsecond material and part of said second doped semiconductor layer usingsaid planarized dummy element and planarized spacer elements of saidfirst material as an etch mask.
 10. The method of claim 1, whereinremoving said part of said semiconductor material of said nanowirecomprises performing an etching process to remove a thickness portionfrom each sidewall of said nanowire so as to form a nanowire core, saidnanowire core comprising said remaining nanowire.
 11. A method offorming a FET semiconductor device, comprising: providing asemiconductor substrate having an upper surface; forming a nanowire of asemiconductor material over said semiconductor substrate, wherein saidnanowire comprises a channel of said FET, wherein a length of saidnanowire is oriented in a vertical direction that is substantiallyperpendicular to said upper surface of said semiconductor substrate, andwherein a channel length of said FET is substantially aligned with saidlength of said nanowire, said nanowire having a near end positionedclose to said semiconductor substrate and a distal end positionedopposite said near end along said vertical length direction of saidnanowire; removing part of said semiconductor material of said nanowire;after removing said part of said semiconductor material, coating theremaining nanowire with a material exhibiting compressive or tensilestress, wherein said remaining nanowire is comprised of silicon and saidmaterial exhibiting compressive or tensile stress is comprised ofsilicon-germanium having at least 20% germanium; and replacing part ofsaid semiconductor material at said distal end with a semiconductormaterial that is inversely doped with respect to the remainingsemiconductor material of said nanowire.
 12. The method of claim 11,further comprising forming a gate insulation layer annularly around saidnanowire comprising said material exhibiting compressive or tensilestress and forming a gate electrode on said gate insulation layer. 13.The method of claim 11, wherein said semiconductor substrate is an SOIsubstrate comprising a first semiconductor layer formed on an oxidelayer and wherein forming said nanowire comprises: forming a seconddoped semiconductor layer on said first semiconductor layer; forming athird semiconductor layer on said second doped semiconductor layer,wherein said third semiconductor layer is undoped or inversely dopedwith respect to said second doped semiconductor layer; forming astructure above said third semiconductor layer, wherein forming saidstructure comprises: forming a dummy element of a first material abovesaid third semiconductor layer; and forming a plurality of spacerelements on at least both sides of said dummy element, wherein saidplurality of spacer elements comprises spacer elements of said firstmaterial and spacer elements of a second material different from saidfirst material in an alternating manner; planarizing said formedstructure, thereby obtaining a planarized dummy element and planarizedspacer elements of said first and second material; removing saidplanarized spacer elements of said second material; and etching theportions of said third semiconductor layer exposed by the removal ofsaid planarized spacer elements of said second material and part of saidsecond doped semiconductor layer using said planarized dummy element andplanarized spacer elements of said first material as an etch mask. 14.The method of claim 11, wherein said semiconductor substrate comprises afirst doped semiconductor layer and wherein forming said nanowirecomprises: forming a second doped semiconductor layer on said firstdoped semiconductor layer, wherein said second doped semiconductor layeris inversely doped with respect to said first doped semiconductor layer;forming a third doped semiconductor layer on said second dopedsemiconductor layer, wherein said third doped semiconductor layer isinversely doped with respect to said second doped semiconductor layer;forming a structure above said third doped semiconductor layer, whereinforming said structure comprises: forming a dummy element above saidthird doped semiconductor layer; and forming a plurality of spacerelements on at least both sides of said dummy element, wherein saidplurality of spacer elements comprises spacer elements of said firstmaterial and spacer elements of a second material different from saidfirst material in an alternating manner; planarizing said formedstructure, thereby obtaining a planarized dummy element and planarizedspacer elements of said first and second material; removing saidplanarized spacer elements of said second material; and etching theportions of said third doped semiconductor layer exposed by the removalof said planarized spacer elements of said second material and part ofsaid second doped semiconductor layer using said planarized dummyelement and planarized spacer elements of said first material as an etchmask.
 15. The method of claim 11, wherein said nanowire comprises afirst side that extends in said vertical length direction and has afirst width that is oriented in a first horizontal direction and asecond side that extends in said vertical length direction and has asecond width that is oriented in a second horizontal direction, each ofsaid first and second horizontal directions being substantially parallelto said upper surface of said semiconductor substrate and said secondhorizontal direction being substantially perpendicular to said firsthorizontal direction, wherein said nanowire length is greater than eachof said first and second nanowire widths.
 16. The method of claim 11,wherein removing said part of said semiconductor material of saidnanowire comprises performing an etching process to remove a thicknessportion from each sidewall of said nanowire so as to form a nanowirecore, said nanowire core comprising said remaining nanowire.
 17. Themethod of claim 16, wherein coating said remaining nanowire with saidmaterial exhibiting compressive or tensile stress comprises forming astressed nanowire shell, said stressed nanowire shell continuouslycovering substantially an entirety of said nanowire core.
 18. A methodof forming a semiconductor device, comprising: providing a semiconductorsubstrate; forming a nanowire of a semiconductor material over saidsemiconductor substrate, said nanowire comprising a near end positionedclose to said semiconductor substrate and a distal end positionedopposite said near end along a longitudinal direction of said nanowire;removing part of said semiconductor material of said nanowire; afterremoving said part of said semiconductor material, coating the remainingnanowire with a material exhibiting compressive or tensile stress; andreplacing part of said semiconductor material at said distal end with asemiconductor material that is inversely doped with respect to theremaining semiconductor material of said nanowire.
 19. A method offorming a semiconductor device, comprising: providing a semiconductorsubstrate having an upper surface, said semiconductor substratecomprising a first doped semiconductor layer; forming a nanowire of asemiconductor material over said semiconductor substrate, wherein saidnanowire has a length that is oriented in a vertical direction that issubstantially perpendicular to said upper surface of said semiconductorsubstrate, wherein forming said nanowire comprises: forming a seconddoped semiconductor layer on said first doped semiconductor layer,wherein said second doped semiconductor layer is inversely doped withrespect to said first doped semiconductor layer; forming a third dopedsemiconductor layer on said second doped semiconductor layer, whereinsaid third doped semiconductor layer is inversely doped with respect tosaid second doped semiconductor layer; forming a structure above saidthird semiconductor layer, wherein forming said structure comprisesforming a dummy element of a first material above said third dopedsemiconductor layer and forming a plurality of spacer elements on atleast both sides of said dummy element, said plurality of spacerelements comprising spacer elements of said first material and spacerelements of a second material different from said first material in analternating manner; planarizing said formed structure, thereby obtaininga planarized dummy element and planarized spacer elements of said firstand second material; removing said planarized spacer elements of saidsecond material; and etching the portions of said third dopedsemiconductor layer exposed by the removal of said planarized spacerelements of said second material and part of said second dopedsemiconductor layer using said planarized dummy element and planarizedspacer elements of said first material as an etch mask; removing part ofsaid semiconductor material of said nanowire; and after removing saidpart of said semiconductor material, coating the remaining nanowire witha material exhibiting compressive or tensile stress.